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Intra-household food distribution among Guatemalan families in a supplementary feeding program: Behavior patterns

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  • Engle, Patrice L.
  • Nieves, Isabel

Abstract

The present study investigated how food is distributed to various family members differing in age, sex, earning status, family role, and status as target child in families enrolled in supplementary feeding programs in urban Guatemala. Two patterns to explain intra-household food distribution patterns were hypothesized: a Contributions Rule, that individuals considered in the culture to have higher economic value would receive a higher percentage of the family's food; and a Needs Rule, in which those considered to have greater need (but not contribution) would receive a higher percentage of the family's food. The results with 45 families (230 individuals) suggested that the Contribution Rule was a better predictor of food distribution patterns in this setting than the Needs Rule. Specifically, male heads of households received a relatively higher proportion of the family's proteins, and the female heads of households received a relatively higher proportion of the family's calories, given their nutritional requirements, than other family members. There was no evidence that mothers were giving the child targeted as undernourished by the health center any more food than any other similar-aged child.

Suggested Citation

  • Engle, Patrice L. & Nieves, Isabel, 1993. "Intra-household food distribution among Guatemalan families in a supplementary feeding program: Behavior patterns," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 36(12), pages 1605-1612, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:36:y:1993:i:12:p:1605-1612
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Elena Briones Alonso & Lara Cockx & Johan Swinnen, 2017. "Culture and Food Security," Working Papers of Department of Economics, Leuven 638992, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Department of Economics, Leuven.
    2. Kuku, Oluyemisi & Gundersen, Craig & Garasky, Steven, 2011. "Differences in food insecurity between adults and children in Zimbabwe," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 311-317, April.
    3. Gurven, Michael & Hopfensitz, Astrid & Kaplan, Hillard & Stieglitz, Jonathan, 2016. "Why household inefficiency? An experimental approach to assess spousal resource distribution preferences in a subsistence population undergoing socioeconomic change," IAST Working Papers 16-36, Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse (IAST).
    4. Hampshire, Katherine Rebecca & Panter-Brick, Catherine & Kilpatrick, Kate & Casiday, Rachel E., 2009. "Saving lives, preserving livelihoods: Understanding risk, decision-making and child health in a food crisis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(4), pages 758-765, February.
    5. repec:idb:brikps:450 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Mst Asma Khatun & Koji Kotani, 2021. "Intrahousehold food intake inequality by family roles and age groups," Working Papers SDES-2021-15, Kochi University of Technology, School of Economics and Management, revised Dec 2021.
    7. Piperata, Barbara A. & Schmeer, Kammi K. & Hadley, Craig & Ritchie-Ewing, Genevieve, 2013. "Dietary inequalities of mother–child pairs in the rural Amazon: Evidence of maternal-child buffering?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 183-191.

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